Con il terzo giovedì di novembre è via libera al Beaujolais Nouveau salutato in Francia e in molti altri Paesi del mondo dove è esportata quasi la metà della produzione d’oltralpe, ma non in Italia che ha prodotto 9 milioni di bottiglie di novello nel 2009 già in vendita dal 6 novembre in negozi, ristoranti, enoteche, winebar e vinerie per essere consumate entro i prossimi sei mesi, termine ultimo consigliato perché il primo vino dell’annata ad essere imbottigliato mantenga inalterate le proprie caratteristiche……………

link originale © viniesapori.net

Above: I may be going out on a limb here when I say that Ten Bells seems to have captured the title of the “best natural wine bar in NYC” but I’ll go ahead and say it anyway. The selection of stinky cru Beaujolais was pretty impressive, even after affable owner Fifi Essome had sold out of many of the labels for his Beaujolais festival the Thursday before our Sunday visit. Photos by Tracie B.

Whether it’s Saignée, Wine Digger, Eric, Alice, or McDuff, it seems like all of my fav bloggers are either writing about or hanging out at The Ten Bells on the Lower East Side of New York City (which takes its name from the homonymous and notorious London pub).

So after Tracie B and I finished lunch with Michele at Kesté, we took a stroll over to the east side and picked up Alice in SoHo and walked down the Bowery to Broome and Orchard on the Lower East Side and tasted a few of the by-the-glass Beaujolais selections that were leftover from the wine bar’s Beaujolais festival the previous Thursday — and what an impressive, if picked-over, list it was!

Above: Alice Feiring is one of my dearest friends and one of the persons I have known the longest in New York. Her book The Battle for Wine and Love was recently released in paperback.

Beyond Lou on Vine in Los Angeles, which remains my favorite American winebar, I can’t think of anywhere else you will find a greater selection of natural, stinky wines. And while Lou can trump nearly any joint for the hipster celebrity sitings on any given night, The Ten Bells seems to have become the official backdrop for the natural wine dialectic of our fine nation and seems to be the official satellite office for visiting natural winemakers.

I liked the way McDuff put it best: “The Ten Bells is mysterious… The Ten Bells is dark… The Ten Bells is Dangerous…” Just quickly scanning Fifi’s hand-written chalkboard wine list as Tracie B, Alice, and I caught up after our last meeting in Paris at Racine’s, I eyed at least a score of labels that I wanted to try. The oysters looked fantastic, too.

We had lots to catch up on but the main topic of conversation during our all-too-short visit was Alice’s recent and heated exchange with The Wine Spectator’s James Suckling, who was finally hipped to natural wine by our mutual friend (and jazz guitar great) Anthony Wilson. I’ll be connecting with Anthony early next month and I’ll be sure to get the juice behind the juice he turned Suckling on to!

Our date with the City was too short and there were so many folks and places that we would have loved to have seen. I can’t say that I miss living in New York but you gotta love the buzz of that city, the energy, and the wine. With London, Paris, and Rome, New York is right up there as one of the great wine destinations of the world — whether you’re drinking old Nebbiolo at Manducatis in Queens or stinky, natural Beaujolais on the Lower East Side at The Ten Bells. I sure don’t need it everyday… but a beautiful, crisp, clear fall day in November, with some yummy Beaujolais in our tummies, catching up with some dear friends, felt just right…

This Beaujolais Nouveau, chosen for its fruit and alegance, was drawn very early. Served cool, it has all the charm and appeal of its youth.

Joseph Drouhin

Tymi słowami przywitał mnie liścik, znajdujący się na jednym ze stolików niedawno powstałego klubu Music Cafe. Wszyscy, którzy zaliczyli podstawowy kurs języka królów domyślą się, że chodziło o młode wino bożole. I proszę nie mylić tego trunku z siarkowanym napojem winopodobnym, dostępnym na najniższej półce każdego sklepu monopolowego.

Krótko o winie. Beaujolais występuje najczęściej jako czerwone wino francuskie, z regionu o takiej samej nazwie, na północ od Lyon we Francji. Produkowane jest z odmiany winogron gamay, dawniej pinot noir. Wino to, dzięki przyspieszonemu procesowi fermentacji jest gotowe do spożycia już po sześciu tygodniach. Charakteryzuje je cierpki, lekki smak. Można je określić mianem “wesołego” wina, również przez nastrój, który wprowadza, już po opróżnieniu kilku butelek.

Lubuscy winiarze również zorganizowali święto młodego wina, właśnie w Music Cafe. Jak tradycja nakazuje, event odbył się w czwartek. Zaprezentowano wina z lubuskich winnic m.in. z Winnicy na Leśnej Polanie, Winnicy Kinga, Winnicy Miłosz. Gwar i wesołość nie ustawały ani na chwilę. Atmosferę dodatkowo umilał duet Ewy i Wojciecha Jaske, którzy w każdy czwartek grają dla gości Music Cafe. Miłośnicy dobrej muzyki, na pewno znajdą coś dla siebie.

Nie zapominajmy o samym klubie. Music Cafe znajduje się przy ulicy Kościelnej 2 w Zielonej Górze. Lokalizacja jest zaiste świetna, bo w samym centrum. Wystrój klubo-kawiarni robi ogromne wrażenie. Pomieszczenia są przestronne, przytulnie, ale dobrze oświetlone. Klub posiada dwie sale. Obie urządzone ze smakiem. W jednej kawiarniane stoliki i krzesła, w drugiej wygodne, duże sofy.

W menu klubu mamy różnorodność przekąsek i napojów. I tu pojawia się “ale”. Zamówiłam dużą waniliową latte. Dostałam taką, jaka zwykle jest podawana w kawiarniach, więc dochodzę do wniosku, że mała podawana jest w filiżance do espresso. Po drugie kawa ta nie przypominała latte, a raczej rozpuszczalną zalaną mlekiem. Zero piany “na dwa palce”, nie miała warstw, nie widziałam syropu na dnie, a jedynie drobinki kawy, co świadczy o kiepskim czyszczeniu ekspresu. No i ceny. Rozumiem, że chodzi o odstraszenie potencjalnych klientów, stojących pod budką z piwem, ale nie zapominajmy, że Zielona Góra stoi studentami, a z definicji nie są oni rekinami biznesu, bawiącymi się “w naukę”.

Klub ma dwa wejścia, co jest znacznym ułatwieniem, tym bardziej, że przejście przy strefie baru, gdy siedzą goście, to jak spacer po linie. Kelnerzy z pełną tacą muszą poruszać się z gracją godną primabaleriny, aby nikogo nie potrącić/oblać/oparzyć. To, z czym nie spotkałam się do tej pory, to ogólnie panujący zakaz palenia do godziny 18tej. Trzeba jednak przyznać, że miejsce to jest na tyle wytworne, że pierwszego papierosa zapaliłam z lekkim speszeniem. Ale tylko pierwszego.

I uwaga na odzież wierzchnią! Music Cafe w całej swojej świetności proponuje wieszaki jedyne w swoim rodzaju: w formie kolan gości, albo krzeseł, na których nieboraki siedzą. Brak szatni, wieszaków, czegokolwiek, co mogłoby sprawić, że będziemy spokojnie siedzieć i delektować się kawą, bez myślenia o tym, co i z kim robi teraz nasza kurtka…?

Klub reklamuje się również imprezą cykliczną o nazwie Before Clubbing & Cocktail Party, czyli wszystko, co powinno pozytywnie nas nastawić na weekendowy clubbing. Muzyka funk, soul, disco i house w każdy piątek i sobotę od godziny 18.00. Można przyjść, posłuchać i… posłuchać. Tańczenie? Zapomnijcie. Nie ma gdzie. Chyba, że w przejściu do toalety, ale ponoć nie liczy się gdzie, tylko z kim. No i że wstęp wolny.

Music Cafe w skrócie:

Plusy:

+ rewelacyjny wystrój i klimat,

+ dostęp do Internetu,

+ świetne miejsce na lunch, kawę z przyjaciółką, imprezę okolicznościową ,

+ centrum miasta,

+ bardzo dobra muzyka,

Minusy:

- ciasne przejście między stolikami a barem,

- nie ma miejsca do tańczenia,

- umywalki w toalecie na wysokości jak dla przedszkolaka, brak lustra w męskiej

- dość wysokie ceny, nieczytelne menu,

- brak miejsca na odzież wierzchnią,

Nadzieje:

* magiczne i spontaniczne pojawienie się wieszaków,

* aranżacja małego miejsca do tańczenia,

* poziom obsługi wyższy, niż u kelnerów w Sphinksie – więcej uśmiechu, mniej oczywistych (dla nich) oczywistości

Myślę, że nieraz tam jeszcze zawitam. Szczerze polecam wszystkim odwiedziny – zwłaszcza w czwartki.

]]> http://winoholic.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/its-a-celebration/ Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:19:39 +0000 winoholic http://winoholic.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/its-a-celebration/

Since this is my inaugural post here on Winoholic, I figured I would start by tasting a celebratory wine. Since the birth of this blog falls at the end of the harvest period, I thought it would be fitting to start with a beaujolais nouveau.

I picked up the latest offering from Maison Louis Tete in its traditional, subtly distinctive “pot” bottle. At $11.99, it wasn’t the cheapest available, but it also wasn’t the most expensive. (Although, I am shocked to see it being offered in Monterey and Chicago for $32 and $46, respectively. Of course, those are restaurant prices. But still.)

Anyway, nouveaux are supposed to be light, fun, and celebratory. The Louis Tete completely fit the bill. I love that the bottle is clear because you get a good sense of the wine’s light magenta coloring before it even reaches your glass. I detected candied strawberry and a slight cherry on the nose. In the mouth, I tasted tart strawberry, light cherry, and a very slight, faint, fleeting peach. The body is, as is to be expected, light. But, I was surprised by the tannin. The Louis Tete has a nice tannic edge that I think helps to mitigate some of the usual candy flavor associated with nouveaux.

The summer of 2009 was reportedly hot and dry in Burgundy’s Beaujolais appellation, hopefully relieving the necessity of engaging in too much chaptalization (in which sugar is added to the wine to increase the alcohol in years in which the temperatures did not soar high enough to allow an appropriately natural level of sugar in the grape). I have not been able to find any information on whether or not the 2009 Louis Tete Beaujolais Nouveau underwent chaptalization, and if so, how much. Although given the reports from the 2009 summer, it seems unlikely that much chaptalization was required. The wine itself is 13% alcohol by volume.

In the end, the 2009 Louis Tete Beaujolais Nouveau is a light, fun, drinkable, celebratory wine, exactly what nouveau is supposed to be.

Where To Find It: The 2009 Louis Tete Beaujolais Nouveau can be purchased at K & L Wines (www.klwines.com).

Tradícia bola dodržaná. Tretí štvrtok v novembri tiež. Beaujolais. Použiteľná odroda zo správneho regiónu, jednoduchá technológia a skvelý marketing. Svätomartinské a všetky ostatné chabé pokusy mladého vína sa majú ešte dosť čo učiť. Naše mladé (skúšal som Devín, Svätovavrinecké a nejaké roséčko) fakticky nepitné, vodové a bezduché. Svätomartinské z Moravy viac menej tiež. Beaujolais už však bola celkom iná záležitosť. Ochutnal som tri druhy. Základné Nouveau od Ferraud et Fils, potom jeho Villages variantu (skvelá) a bezduchú priemyslovú a presírenú nudu za 2 eurá z Billy. Vtipné na celej akcii v bratislavských podmienkach bolo to, že francúzske vinotéky (nebudem uvádzať názvy) mali v piatok vypredané, dobré slovenské skoro tiež. Tesco sa ani neunúvalo a Billa ponúkala spomínanú hrôzu. Nepreveroval som Carrefoure…ten by mohol niečo ponúknuť. Ako vždy sa s cenami pohrali chlapci na Klobúčnickej. Základka do 8 a villages od Deboeufa za viac ako 15 euro. Chvíľu som váhal, ale nakoniec premohla racionalita. Za tieto peniaze si už môžem dovoliť skvelé a vyzreté víno. Nebudem sa tu však rozpisovať o cennotvorbe a ani o nouveau, pozrite si wikipédiu. Spomiem len mne sympatickú karbonickú maceráciu a moje obľúbené prirodzené kvasinky. No, ale k Ferraudovej základke, ktorá krásne predviedla ako to celé má vyzerať. Sýta fialová farba, vo vôni bobulové ovocie, sviežosť, hravosť, mladosť a nenáročnosť. Sladké vnemy a občas, na českých blogoch spomínané, klasické bonpari. Také tie tmavofialové. V chuti fajn ovocné, príjemné, kyselinka na mieste, trošku trieslovín a slušne dlhé. Páči sa mi…a navyše s plným korkom. Jednoducho pekná klasika.

A čo vy priatelia…ako dopadlo nouveau u Vás?

Georges DuBoeuf Beaujolais 2007. Very soft and light with a hint of

strawberry- could be served a little chilled. Majestic £7.99.

@Jaynehowarth

Dopo la sera di ieri, con l’asprigno, disgustoso Beaujolais che mi ha rovinato la nottata (e la mattinata), stasera divano. Mi sono riscaldato la pasta di ieri, due merguetz, una brioche sucrée e sfoglio qualche libro di grammatica guardando la tv. Su Direct 8 c’è L’école des Stars, che è una specie di versione francese di Ti lascio una canzone con alcune differenze significativa: i bambini non sono vestiti da comunione ma da bambini trendy e cantano canzoni pop, non mattinate di Leoncavallo. Inoltre i giudici gli dicono come si deve fare a cantare meglio, non piangono e non si commuovono, anzi sono piuttosto stronzi. Certo, resta invariata l’inquietante idea di fondo: trucchiamo dei bambini come degli adulti e facciamogli fare le mossette. Ad ogni modo, non voglio parlarvi di questo ma di una canzone che ho sentito cantata da una fanciullina conciata male e con i fianchi un po’ grossi: Si j’étais un homme. I giurati le hanno detto che è una canzone troppo difficile per lei e che la smettesse di esagerare, cosa piuttosto crudele.

Ad ogni modo, come vi ho detto, non è la cosa che mi ha bloccato. Andate al minuto 1:12

Avete sentito? Diane Tell, che è una cantante del Québec, famosa soprattutto per ’sta pregevole canzone  anni Quatre-vingt, dice quello che farebbe se fosse un uomo: vorrei essere capitano di una nave bianca e verde, vorrei portarti in viaggio in giro per il mondo, fare l’amore sulla spiaggia, addormentarmi tra le tue braccia, ma son donna e quando si è donna ’ste cose non si dicono. Vabbè. Su questa base si costruisce anche la seconda strofa, che è dove parte il nostro “Eeeeeeeeeeh!?” Se fosse uomo, Diane Tell, mi offrirebbe dei gioielli e dei fiori per arredare casa, con un profumo da far impazzire. E poi…

Et, juste à côté de Milan,
Dans une ville qu’on appelle Bergame,
Je te ferais construire une villa…

A parte che è assai poco gentile dire “in una città chiamata Bergamo”, come fosse “in un paese lontano lontano”… Ma poi, a Bergamo? Ma come gli gira di partire dal Québec per costruire una villa a Bergamo?

E’ inutile, devo decidermi a raccogliere materiale per il mio progetto L’Italia nella canzone francese.

Beaujolais Nouveau is a tradition.  And, traditionally, it is released and celebrated annually on the third Thursday in November.  I was first introduced to Beaujolais Nouveau wines and the French themed parties when I first sold it in Washington, DC, back in 2000.  Then, I was working for a small wine chain called Best Cellars at the Dupont Circle location.  We sold a few boutique brands, as well as the usual suspects – Bouchard-Aine & Fils and Georges Duboeuf.

Later, I worked for a wholesaler in DC and got to pour at the French Embassy each year – the biggest Beaujolais Nouveau tradition in town.  I poured the Bouchard, Duboeuf and Joseph Drouhin selections.

Beaujolais is an interesting wine.  For some, it’s likened to a sweet, juicy wine and an excuse for a party.  But, there are nuances and subtleties to the wine that make it an excellent food wine, and a fun one at that.  It is often served on American tables at Thanksgiving.  It is a fantastic aperitif.  And, it is a great conversational wine.  It’s lively and opens any fall or winter party quite well.

For some, it’s just about the party.  I have had the priviledge to work the best party at the French Embassy.  Barrels of the Nouveau get shipped in, as well as cases.  It is le festival de l’annee!

Since I’ve moved to Portland, Oregon, I no longer sell Beaujolais.  The closest I got to it was a Gamay Noir wine  produced at Adelsheim Vineyard, a wine that is actually quite elegant and complex, thanks to the gentle and thoughtful winemaking of Dave Paige. 

Gamay Noir is the principal varietal grown in Beaujolais, France – the historical province located north of Lyon, covering parts of the north of the Rhone-Alpes region, and parts of the south of the Saone-et-Loire of Burgundy.  Beaujolais is often considered a hub of Burgundy, but the climate is more reminiscent of the Rhone, with wines unique enough to be considered completely separate.  The region is known internationally for its long tradition of winemaking, uniquely emphasized by the use of carbonic maceration, or whole cluster fermentation.

There are only a few plantings of Gamay Noir in Oregon, and most of it gets blended into Pinot Noir.   A handful of Oregon wineries produce Gamay Noir, including  Amity Vineyards, who makes an interesting Gamay Noir Eco-Wine, which is organic.  Chehalem produced Cherise, a dark, lush Gamay Noir.  WillaKenzie, Brick House and Evening Lands also produce Gamay Noir wines.

Some of these wines, alongside the traditional French Nouveau, will be poured tonight at the Heathman Hotel for their Eighth Annual Beaujolais Nouveau Festival.  There are five wine-pouring stations, a wine auction, and impressive food stations presented by James Beard award-winning chef Philippe Boulot, and the Beaujolais Nouveau wine jetted in from France just yesterday!

I have been to the past three fêtes, and I certainly won’t miss it this year.  It has become my Beaujolais tradition.  My friends rally each year to take in the amazing food, fruity wine and good company hosted by the French-American Chamber of Commerce and co-organized with the Alliance Française of Portland.  Tickets are available at afportland.org.  The event begins at 6:00 p.m.  Â bientôt!

Tasted the Beaujolais Nouveau 2009 from Domaine Chasseley – wonderful. 2009 will be a great year for wine.

Beaujolais is here!

The annual release of Nouveau (“new/fresh”) wine from the Beaujolais villages of France has just arrived moments ago. This wine is released each year on the weekend before Thanksgiving, and in many cities around the world there are large street festivals and parties to celebrate its arrival. Being new wine, it’s not been aged for long and therefore is more affordable as well. $12.99 will get you home with a bottle this year.

Have to say, we’re glad there’s no Beaujolais street festival here – it’s too cold! – but we are glad the wine has arrived. There is a limited supply, so if you enjoy the Beaujolais tradition or just want to try something new, get yours ASAP. We’re here until 11pm tonight, and 10am-midnight Friday and Saturday.

毎年11月の第3木曜日に解禁となる、Beaujolais Nouveau。

今年はとにかく素晴らしい天候に恵まれ、パーフェクトの出来との事。・・・そんな話題を耳にしてしまったら、どうも気になって仕方ない。

早速、解禁日の今日、手頃なハーフボトルを購入し試飲してみた。気になるお味の方は・・・？

「色は非常に深く、アロマはカシスや木いちごなど黒いフルーツを感じさせる。とても寛容で、味わいのハーモニーも素晴らしく、タンニンも繊細でした。」

・・・なんて言ってみる。笑

実際のところ、私にはまだ新酒の”味わい”についてはよくわからない。

だって、熟成されたワインの方がずっと美味しいもの。。

毎年、今年はもっと素晴らしいものを！と、造り手たちが期待を抱き、自然との折り合いを見ながら手間暇かけて造っているnouveau。その違いが判らなくてもいい。その年の新酒を味わい、”フランスの大地”や”太陽の恵み”を舌で感じ、感謝し、みんなでお祝いする。

Beaujolais Nouveau 解禁は、そんなお祭り気分でいいのだ。:-)

Convivialité!

美味しいものをみんなで分かち合いましょう！

Another wine from Weygandt Wines, the new wine store in DC featuring importer Peter Weygandt’s portfolio. One of the great things about the store is that they taste wines every day. They usually taste the same half dozen or so wines for the week, but last Saturday they tweeted that they tasting some different wines than earlier in the week.  The Morgon from Bouland caught my eye and so I decided to stop by given that it was Saturday and Peter Weygandt might also be at the store (which he was).

I tasted the wine at the store and picked up a couple of bottles to bring home. The 2008 Daniel Bouland Morgon Vieilles Vignes is 100% Gamay made from 60 to 90 year-old vines grown on granitic soils that are rich in iron and manganese. Daniel Bouland is considered one of the traditionalists in Beaujolais, careful hand-harvesting, very low yields and wild yeast fermentations help create a complex and ageworthy Morgon (5 to 15 years is recommended by the estate).

Dark ruby color — with a shade of black olive, but transparent. Nose of strawberry and cherry with some earthy and floral notes. On the palate, loaded with cherry, strawberry and raspberry as well as some cranberry, earth, and crushed asphalt. This might be a serious Beaujolais, but it is also ranks very high in quaffability. Lightly fined and unfiltered. 13% alcohol. Recommended and a very good value at $20 a bottle, not to mention a solid choice for Thanksgiving.

More Thanksgiving picks:
Arianna Occhipinti Il Frappato Sicilia IGT 2006
Jean & Agnes Foillard — Morgon Cuvée Corcelette Vieille Vigne 2007
Occhipinti SP68 Rosso Vittoria 2008
Rhys Alesia Sonoma Coast Chileno Vally Pinot Noir 2006 (or any Pinot from Rhys)
Passopisciaro Sicily IGT 2005
Domaine Gramenon La Sagesse Côtes du Rhône 2007
Clos Saint-Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2005 (or one of the great CdPs from 07)
Les Aphillanthes Côtes du Rhône 2007
Domaine Richaud Côtes du Rhône Terres de Galets 2007
Edmunds St. John Rocks & Gravel 2005
Cheverny Le Petit Chambord Domaine Francois Cazin 2007
André Perret Saint Jospeh 2007
Domaine Ricard Cuvee Les Trois Chênes 2008
Tablas Creek Vineyard Côtes de Tablas Blanc 2008
Mas des Bressades Roussanne-Viognier 2007
Mourges du Gres Terre d’Argence Blanc 2007

I know I run the risk of devolving into a repetitive bore since I have commented on this subject before, but it just dawned on me that the 19th is the third Thursday of the month.  Yes that means Beaujolais Nouveau time is upon us again.  Honestly I’m not sure I’m even going to buy a bottle.  I feel the pull of tradition versus the  memories of disappointments past.  Besides  I’ve already got my Thanksgiving bottles picked out.  I’ve got 10 bottles for eight adults so I should be covered.  If not we can always raid the cellar.  What do you think?  Any BN in your future?

Photo by Karaian, via Flickr, with Creative Commons license

It’s that time again!  The 3^rd Thursday of every November marks the release of the Beaujolais Nouveau — light red, casual drinking wine from the gentle rolling hills and golden stone countryside of the Beaujolais region of France.  French law has decreed that the Beaujolais Nouveau cannot be released until the stroke of midnight, on the 3^rd Thursday of November, so while the French countryside is sleeping, wine producers and distributors rush to stock their shelves with the new release. 

Beaujolais is made from the Gamay grape , and by law, the grapes must be harvested by hand. Sixty-five million bottles are produced annually, and exported worldwide, with the top 3 markets being Germany, Japan and the U.S.   Beaujolais is never aged, but meant to be consumed just weeks after harvest. 

Some wine critics do not believe  the Beaujolais Nouveau to be a serious wine, as it lacks complexity brought on by the aging process. But that is considered by some to be part of its charm.    If you are wine shopping, look for the banners that proclaim “Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrive!” 

Celebrating the release of the new harvest was originally a local festival, but thanks to successful marketing campaigns, you will see Beaujolais Nouveau celebrations popping up around the world.  Ask your local wine merchant when they will receive their stock.  Is it a coincidence that the wines hit store shelves just in time for U.S. Thanksgiving? 

In Lyon today, November 15, an expert panel of 70 wine critics, sommeliers, and Michelin-starred chefs gathered at Lyon’s beautiful Hotel du Ville for a tasting and judging competition, to award the coveted Trophy Lyon-Beaujolais Nouveau.  The winners will be announced tomorrow on the Lyon Le Progres website.  

Strolling Minstrels in Period Costume at Lyon's Hotel du Ville

I toured the Beaujolais region last year on a tour organized by the Lyon Office of Tourism.  We visited wine cellars, and met with the former Mayor of one of the Beaujolais villages.  Madame (adorable lady, center, in the photo below) educated us with the history of Beaujolais and the growing and harvesting process.  And of course, we sampled!

So no matter where you are on the 3^rd Thursday of November each year, you have cause to celebrate!  Santé!

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I purchased a reasonable amount of mixed 2003 Cru Beaujolais by Georges Duboeuf on release since the vintage appeared to be of historic quality and the best wines could be had in the usual $15-$20 value range.  They were enjoyably rich and round with the great depth of fruit that was a signpost to the vintage’s outstanding conditions.  These wines were consumed with gusto by my tight circle of wine and food junkies, but I was unable to hold onto even a few to learn how Gamay of a great vintage might progress in the cellar.  I was just recently blown away by the transformation and quality of the 2003 Duboeuf Moulin-a-Vent Cuvee Prestige in a recent retasting opportunity on the heels of a chance to restock at ridiculously low prices.

I have learned through experimentation and my fair share of insipidly weak wines, that the best of Beaujolais comes from the northern parts of this French winemaking region that otherwise carries an earned reputation for mass market, fruity, and acidic Gamay based wine.  In almost sub-appellations of the more desireable northern appellation of Beaujolais-Villages are the Beaujolais Crus, vineyards or communes where the most delicious wines seem to emerge on a reliably consistent basis.  One such Cru, Moulin-a-Vent (windmill in French and named that way due to its proximity to a local mill), has a reputation for producing Gamay grapes with longer term aging potential akin to advancing Burugundian Pinots.

A few weeks ago I was in the back room clearance section of a New Hampshire State wine outlet and found five stacked cases of the Duboeuf 2003 Moulin-a-Vent Cuvee Prestige with a mark-down price of $10.  With a quickening heart rate, I looked over my shoulder in case I had to ward off anyone that might be racing in to grab the whole lot and lifted a case into my cart as great memories flashed in my head of past summers serving this red wine ever so slightly chilled with grilled lamb, duck, and boullibaise.  I had no idea how good the storage was in this outlet, but figured a few years in closed cases in a decently sized warehouse created resonable odds for survival.

Last night I opened a bottle from this lot for the first time and was completely blown away, certain that I just stumbled on one of my top wine experiences of the year (read: discovery of highly desireable wine with advanced characteristics at ridiculously low price point).  This Moulin-a-Vent had characteristic hues of age-rust on the edges of an overall dulling burgundy color that spoke to bottle age.  I had to continually recheck the nose to convince myself that I was not imagining the exotic multidimensional aromas of clove, oregano, sandalwood incense, and my long time favorite smells of licorice rich Good & Plenty candy.  All this combined with the characteristic advanced nose of earthy mushroom and slightly damp cardboard.  The mouthfeel was smooth and rightfully evolved, offering a silky coating with appropriate amounts of lasting acid and a whoosh of alcoholic heat in the finish.  Having tasted the wine young, I was clear on the ways it had sacrificed some of its earlier bright black fruit transforming the wine into an advanced showcase of its true character and terroir.  AND, for me it was totally reminiscent of the great bottle aged US Pinots and Burgundys that I have tried; only at 1/5th-1/20th the price!

I am going back today with the suspicion that Southern New Hampshire has not all of a sudden discovered 2003 Beaujolais and at least a couple of cases are sitting in that exact same spot.   I want to drink this wine regularly over the next few years and possibly longer.  If you can get your hands on some, it could be the best investment in near term drinking of advanced and bottle aged wine you will ever find.  For certain, find this wine in current releases of strong vintages and buy it by the case load. 

I could not help pausing on the back label where it reads:

…its sumptuous palate promises a long evolution for this wine of great distinction  

Now I can add Gamay and Duboeuf’s Moulin-a-Vent Cuvee Prestige to a memory bank of notably wonderful moments dotting a life of wine exploration and discovery.  Go get some if you can.

On Thursday, November 19, the Cradle of Aviation is celebrating the 100th birthday of the 1909 Bleriot, the oldest plane in the museum’s collection.  Designed in France by Louis Bleriot and purchased by Rodman Wanamaker, the Bleriot was not only the first plane imported to America, but also the first plane manufactured on Long Island.

From 6:30 to 10 pm, the museum will host a tasting of the 2009 Beaujolais Nouveau by Georges Duboeuf.  Described as “vivacious” and “fruity,” the wine tasting will be accompanied by a buffet of French cuisine.  The 2009 harvest of Beaujolais is hailed as the best of the last 50 years due to perfect weather and growing conditions for the Gamay grapes from which it is made.  Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime event!

The cost of the wine tasting is $65 per person, and all proceeds benefit museum education and restoration programs.  To reserve your space, call Anne Nolan at 5160-572-4034 by Monday, November 16.  For more information about the Beaujolais, visit the Georges Dubeouf website at http://duboeufnouveau.com/

I recently read an article (don’t ask me to remember where) that compared Morbier to Humboldt Fog. Naturally, I was intrigued since my love for the Fog is well-documented. But it turns out that the only thing the two cheeses have in common is the thin line of vegetable ash running through their centers. Otherwise, not so much. Humboldt Fog is a goat’s-milk cheese; Morbier is made from cow’s milk. Humboldt Fog is from California; Morbier is French. Humboldt Fog is amazing; Morbier is not.

I’m not saying Morbier is a bad cheese – it was perfectly pleasant enough with a soft, slightly rubbery interior and stinky but not-too-funky aroma. But the taste was so mild that my tastebuds said, “OK, next, please.” Maybe it’s because a leftover cheese – some producers, like Jean d’Alos, make it from the leftover curds from the Comte they also create. Morbier is the meatloaf while Comte is the steak.

But don’t cry for Morbier. It’s an innocent cheese just trying to make its way onto your cheeseboard. And since it’s so mild, it’s a good choice to serve if you don’t know how adventurous your guests are with cheese. Pair it with a Beaujolais, Gewurztraminer or Pinor Noir.

Chef Esteban Escobar’s Bison slider, with aged vermont cheddar, butter leaf, pickled onions, and mustard.

Recommended wine pairing: Domaine Dupeuble, Beaujolais ‘08 (imported by Kermit Lynch)

So when I think I Fall, one wine in particular comes to mind- Beaujolais.  Beaujolais is a light red wine best served chilled and brings forward subtle fruit (but I would not characterize as a “fruity” or “sweet” wine).   Beaujolais Nouveau, a varietal released each November, can be found adorning many a Thanksgiving dinner table (it pairs well with a wide variety of food &  it can enjoyed by wine drinkers with varied taste preferences).  

Fast facts on Beaujolais Nouveau can be  found @: http://www.intowine.com/beaujolaisnouveaufacts.html

Beaujolais can be found in many wine shops- not so much in the grocery outlets.  Average price point: $10-12. 

Go pick up a bottle while it’s still in season!

The First Million Years or So

600 Years of Unwanted Guests

Middle Ages and the Turn of Provence

Wars of Religion and Hocus Pocus Popes

Oppression, Resistance, Quel Renaissance!

Debating The Age of Bad Taste ou Epoch Classique?

Post-War brings Socialist Mitterand and the Revival of Occitan

The Joys of Being French, Oui or N’est Pas?

C’est La Vie in The South of France

Santon Fairs in the Var et Renoir at Les Collettes

Columns, Columns, Columns and a Bridge

Troubadours Cansos, Love Story, La Californie of Europe

Hug the road winding the Cote d’Azur

Bordeaux, Beaujolais, frescoes in Peille

Sailing to Promenade du Soleil

Down the Rhone: Orange to Beaucaire

Malabar’s bulging biceps swell

Jagged Alpilles, rocky plains of the Crau, marshlands of the Camargue

For the Rhone is a Saturdays Child

On to Nimes, the Gard and Montpellier

Le Vin’s de Herault and Agde founded by the ancient Greeks

Narbonne, the Corbieres and the Aude, Castles and Cathedrals abound

Last but not least, there’s the Catalans of Roussillon

Getting There

By Air, By Coach, By Car, By Train

By Boat, By Bus, By Bicycling

The Song of Summer, Cicadas tune

Siesta under pine trees and game of boules

Tender is the Night with starry skies

Bouillabaisse, Aioli, Thirteen desserts

Estocaficada and onion tart

Before Laying a Bet, will it be

Holiday Destination or Life on the Riviera?

Like the Fitzgerald’s and Hemingway’s

You will not be the first to stay

Avec votre coeur dans la méditerranéenne.